1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connection box connectable with an automotive wiring harness and is designed particularly to connect busbars accommodated in the electrical connection box and a terminal of a fuse mounted in the electrical connection box. The present invention furthermore relates to a method for forming terminals on connecting busbars for such an electrical connection box.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art busbars are accommodated in a prior art electrical connection box substantially as shown in FIG. 4. More particularly, prior art busbars 2, 3 are connectable respectively with terminals 1a, 1b of a prior art fuse 1. The prior art busbars 2, 3 are provided at their opposite leading ends with cramping connection portions 2a, 3a, which are formed by bending the leading ends of the busbars 2, 3 at right angles to remaining portions of the busbars. The bent leading ends then are folded back approximately 180.degree. about fold lines that are parallel to the bend line. Slits 2b, 3b then are cut into the fold line of the cramping connection portion 2a, 3a and portions of the cramping connection portions 2a, 3a of the busbars 2, 3 on opposite sides of the fold line. The terminals 1a, 1b of the fuse 1 then are pressed into slits 2b, 3b.
The cramping connection portions 2a, 3a of the busbars 2, 3 are long in their developed states. The sum of the lengths of the cramping connection portions 2a, 3a in their developed states is larger than a spacing between the terminals 1a, 1b. Accordingly, in case one would like to form the connection portions 2a and 3a from one conductive plate 5 (e.g. by cutting and bending steps) they would interfere each other by overlapping. Therefore, the prior art busbars 2, 3 cannot be made from one conductive plate 5.
Since a pair of busbars to be connected with one fuse cannot be formed from one conductive plate 5, the pair cannot be formed by progressive molds, or in a continuous working line. Accordingly, the busbars need to be mounted separately later in the electrical connection box. This causes problems of more labor and time to assemble and a poor yield of the conductive plate.
Alternatively, the busbars 2, 3 to be connected with the terminals 1a, 1b of one fuse 1 need to be arranged in different layers in a casing of the electrical connection box as shown in FIG. 6. This makes a circuit design inside the casing complicated, making a high density arrangement impossible.
In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to form busbars having terminals or press connection portions to be connected with terminals of a fuse from one conductive plate.